Leadership and Change in Education

Understanding the various leadership theories as they apply to educational institutions is crucial to managers and employees alike as they seek to determine which style of leadership works best for them, and in which leadership environments they are likely to thrive.

This research presents a comprehensive definition of leadership, considers the actual importance of leadership in education, and evaluates various approaches that have been used to understand leadership. Five significant leadership theories and their applicability to education are also presented. The massive size and scope of the literature on leadership prevents an all-encompassing review of all literature theories; those theories which have had the greatest effect on management styles and which have been most widely adopted are considered here. In addition to

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e and thus the "goal" involved in the path-goal theory can be difficult to quantify in this environment. The other leadership dynamic in an educational setting, the dynamic that exists between the principal and the staff members, is also difficult to quantify due to the nature of the educational system. Certainly some motivation of subordinates is critical to the overall success of an institution, but access to ongoing education (to improve skills) and improved resources (such as computers in the classrooms) also enhance the long-term success of a particular educational institution. From this standpoint, the path-goal theory has limited application in this setting. Situational Leadership Theory The situational leadership theory (Hersey and Blanchard) proposes that the optimal amount of task and relations behavior depends upon subordinate maturity. This theory prescribes different patterns of two behaviors, depending on the subordinate's confidence and skill in relation to the task. This theory is popular in the workplace, but has yet to gain popularity among researchers and scholars, and has gained limited acceptance in the educational environment (Shareef, 1991, p. 51). Few studies have tested the theory, and these studie
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Palich Hom, Conger Kanungo, Norris Vecchio, McGee Cashman, Multiple-Linkage Model, Resources Theory, Leadership Leadership, Popper Lipshitz, Exchange LMX, Theory Normative, leadership theory, leadership theories, charismatic leadership, lpc leaders, educational environment, transformational leadership, leader behavior, low lpc, buchen 1998, path-goal theory, palich hom 1992, situational leadership theory, popper lipshitz 1993, transformational charismatic leadership, goodson mcgee cashman,
Approximate Word count = 6122
Approximate Pages = 24 (250 words per page)

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